Catalyst Game Labs has worked hard to create a Year of Shadowrun unlike any experienced in the game line’s nearly twenty-five year legacy. From a new edition of the classic RPG to a deck building card game, miniatures game to board game, as well as coordinating extensively with the return of authentic Shadowrun computer games in Shadowrun Returns and Shadowrun Online, Catalyst has strived to bring Shadowrun’s passionate fans an even deeper journey into the game’s dark, dangerous world.

Now, one of the last missing parts to create the full experience to fans of this brilliant universe has fallen into place: new print novels.

“The seeds of Catalyst were planted a decade ago as authors gathered together to create an online fiction subscription website for BattleTech,” said Randall N. Bills, Managing Developer for Catalyst Game Labs. “Our passion for storytelling and the scope and depth that print fiction delivers is a love affair we’ll never lose. To reach a point where we can add this critical aspect to all we’re doing with Shadowrun is a fantastic milestone. And of course, the success of this line will help ensure that we’ll able to launch print novel lines for our other great universes in the future.”

Catalyst Game Labs will launch the new print novel line in the fall of 2013, and is committing to six all-new, original Shadowrun fiction novels. Additionally, Catalyst is working on releasing omnibus editions of the favorite works of past Shadowrun novels by such authors as Nigel Findley, Robert Charrette, Nyx Smith and more.

With Barnes & Noble enthusiastically embracing this print line, Catalyst is bringing on John Helfers to helm the project and help ensure its success. During his sixteen years working for Martin H. Greenberg at Tekno Books, John edited more than fifteen short story anthologies for DAW, as well as dozens more for other publishers in all genres. He has also worked with well-known authors and co-editors such as Charlaine Harris, Stephen Coonts, Kim Harrison, Dale Brown, Mike Resnick, Harold W. Coyle, Mercedes Lackey, Margaret Weis, and Kevin J. Anderson.

John is also no stranger to the world of Shadowrun. He has written short stories (in the Shadowrun 20th Anniversary Edition and Seattle: 2072) and novel-length fiction (Aftershock, co-authored with Jean Rabe) set in the world. He is also the editor of the Origin award-winning Shadowrun anthology Spells & Chrome, as well as also helming the Shadowrun Returns Anthology project working alongside Jordan Weisman.

“Bringing back original fiction novels in the Shadowrun universe has been one of Catalyst Game Labs’ top priorities, and I’m excited to have a hand in bringing this spellbinding world back into new novels,” John Helfers said. “We have a terrific group of authors who can’t wait to tell new stories in the Shadowrun world, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with and getting these stories out to the fans.”

Catalyst Game Labs
Catalyst Game Labs is dedicated to producing high-quality games and fiction that mesh sophisticated game mechanics with dynamic universes, all presented in a form that allows beginning players and long-time veterans to easily jump into our games, while helping fiction readers enjoy our stories even if they don’t know the games.

Catalyst Game Labs is an imprint of InMediaRes Productions, LLC, which specializes in electronic publishing of professional fiction. This allows Catalyst to participate in a synergy that melds printed gaming material and fiction with all the benefits of electronic interfaces and online communities, creating a whole-package experience for any type of player or reader. Find Catalyst Game Labs online at www.catalystgamelabs.com.